Eating on the subway, watching videos without headphones, and bringing a dog on without a muzzle all attract a €50 fine on Vienna's public transport system.
Wiener Linien (the company which runs the buses, trams and the U-Bahn in Vienna) announced on November 4th that it is going to be much harder on behaviour they consider inappropriate.
Fines aren't anything new. Up until now, though, staff have generally preferred to issue warnings. According to ORF Wien, passengers who ignore warnings can now be fined much more rapidly.
But what behaviours could cost you money?
What could lead to a €50 fine?
The new campaign highlights four common breaches of Wiener Linien's official rules.
Eating on the U-Bahn: since 2019, it's been against the rules to eat on the U-Bahn (Vienna's subway). You can bring food on board, you just can't eat it. If you do eat a sandwich or snack on the U-Bahn, you can be looking at a fine of €50. This rule doesn't apply to the buses and trams.
Loudspeaker calls and videos played without headphones can also result in a €50 charge. Ordinary phone calls are allowed, but Wiener Linien expects passengers to keep the noise down.
Dogs without muzzles: dogs travelling outside a closed carrier must wear a muzzle and be kept on a lead. They also need a ticket, although annual pass holders can take one dog free of charge. Small animals in suitable closed carriers travel free, while recognised assistance dogs are exempt from the ticket, muzzle and lead requirements.
Electric scooters outside permitted hours: From September 1st, electric scooters are banned on buses and trams (even when folded). On the subway, they are permitted Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm and after 6:30pm. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays they are permitted all day.
READ ALSO:Vienna bans e-scooters on buses and trams from September 1st
What other actions can lead to a fine?
The rules also carry a €50 fine for smoking or using e-cigarettes, drinking alcohol, making excessive noise, putting your feet on the seats, or littering the vehicle or station.
Begging for money, selling goods without authorisation, causing disruption to service and haranguing other passengers can all lead to a fine.
Riding a bicycle or scooter inside stations can also lead to a fine (they must be pushed instead).
Some breaches are subject to different penalties. Deliberately misusing emergency equipment, such as emergency stops or alarms, carries a €93 charge. Passengers should still use these facilities whenever they believe there's an emergency.
READ ALSO:The essential rules you need to know for using Vienna's U-Bahn
What about the ones with the big rucksacks or who are just blocking the entrance to the subway?
Not all unacceptable behaviour will lead to a fine.
Wiener Linien advise that passengers take their large rucksacks off their backs, allow people to disembark before boarding and keep the doors clear.
But these are general etiquette guidelines, so failing to follow every recommendation won't automatically result in a €50 charge.
Deliberately obstructing passageways or escape routes, however, can breach Wiener Linien's rules.
READ ALSO:10 tips to avoid being told off by Vienna's grumpy locals
Why is Vienna so keen on enforcement?
The announcement comes after a campaign launched in March aimed at tackling the behaviours which most bother the public transit user.
As The Local Austria has previously reported, loud phone conversations were at the top of the list of annoying habits, followed by loud music and adults eating on the trip.
Wiener Linien say the campaign is already having an effect.
Wiener Linien recorded around 12,000 rule-related incidents in March, compared with 8,283 in October, a drop of around 31 percent.
Even so, the company says some passengers still ignore the warnings.
Approximately 300 customer service and security staff plus fare inspectors are all on the books to monitor compliance with the rules.
According to the City of Vienna the next phase of the campaign (called 'Host no immer kan Genierer?!' (Don't you have any shame yet?!, in the Viennese dialect) will focus more on the consequences of inappropriate behaviour.
New posters will be going up right around the city from November 6th. There will also be advertising at the stations and messages on the information boards.
Useful Vocabulary
Öffis – informal Austrian term for public transport
Mehrgebühr – additional charge or fine
Maulkorb – muzzle
Beförderungsbedingungen – terms of carriage, i.e., the official rules for using the service
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